Electric hearing apparatus for the deaf



June 27, 1939. I H. PESCADOR I 2,164,121

ELECTRIC HEARING APPARATUS FOR THE DEAF Filed May 4, 1938 m; CoNTRa Graumdto RHeosm-r B 0 Us oil f er I I RHEOSTAT Hc Zor Pescador INVENTOR Patented Julie 21, 1939 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE 2,164,121 ELECTRIC HEARING APPARATUS FOR THE pEAF Hector Pescador, Mexico, D. F., Mexico Application May 4, 1938, Serial No. 206,051

it Claim.

lo the ear phone. Such apparatus to a limited ex-' tent are successful, according to the degree of calculation of the joints of the ossicles but all fail in severe cases of calcination such as deaf mutes.

15 I have discovered that when sound vibration, and an electric current modulated by the sound vibration, are simultaneously applied to the tyinpanum and auditory ossicles of the'ear, the aggregate effect of both agencies restores approxi- 20 mately normal capability of vibrating to the auditory ossicles, and with the attaining 01 this,

speech and musical soundsare heard even by a deaf mute.

with the above and other objects in view the 25 invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope or the appended claims without 30 departing from the spirit or sacrificing any .of

the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing'iorming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ear phon e for 35 simultaneously applying sound vibrations and an electric current modulated by the sound vibrations to the ear.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the ear phone shown in Figure 1. a

40 Figure 3 is a longitudinal section or the ear phone and showing the diaphragm vibrated pin and a screw carried by the pin for attaching an electric current supply wire.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the 45 electrical connections of the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts i in the various views, I designates the casing 50 of an ear phone, thesame having ventilating openings II in the circular wall and ventilating openings I! in the rear wall to ventilate the ear IS. A diaphragm I4 is confined against the circular wall by a screw cap l5 and is vibrated in the usual manner by electro-magnet coils l6 (Cl. HTS-1107) which conduct audio frequency current in the usual manner to the magnet coils.

In carrying out the invention a metal 'rod I1 is screw threadedly engaged as shown at IS with a nut M which is formed integral with the dia- 5 phragm to permit the rod to be adjusted axially with relation to the diaphragm. The rod is provided at its inner end with a spherical head 20 7 adapted to contact with the auditory members of the ear such as the tympanum and ossicles 10 or bony parts of the ear contiguous to the tympanum. The rod projects rearwardly through an opening 2| in the rear wall 22 of the ear phone and is terminally equipped with a binding post 23 through the medium of which an electric current supply wire may be attached to the rod. A tube 24 of insulating material is sleeved on the rod between the nut I9 and the head and insulates the rod from the fleshy structure of the ear. 20

In the present embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, a transformer is employed having a primary winding 25 and two secondary windings 26 and 21, both secondary windings having the same number of turns. The 25 A primary winding is connected in series with a microphone 2B and a battery 29. The terminals of the ends of the secondary winding 28 which receive the electric pulsations into which the sound from the microphone has been trans- 30 formed, are connected by circuit wires 30 and 3| to the magnet coils I 6 of the ear phone, which latter function in the usual way to vibrate the diaphragm l4 and rod 11. A variable resistance- 32 is connected across the-circuit wires and functions as a volume control for the ear phone.

.The electric current which is to be applied to the interior of the ear is taken from the secondary winding 21. This current will correspond in variations to the intensity of sound but should be less intense to accommodate the sensitivity of the interior of the ear. Accordingly connected across the circuit wires 33 and 34 which lead from the ends of the secondary winding 21 are disclosed two capacities 35 (00001). In the upper circuit wire 33 are two capacities 86 and Q1 the latter being variable through three different capacities as shown. An independent source of electricity such as a battery 38 is connected in parallel with the circuit wires 33 and 34 and a rheostat 39 is connected across the wires 33 and t 34 to control the intensity of'the current supplied to the ear through the wire 33 which is connected by means of the binding post 28 to the rod II. The circuit wire 34 is grounded to the body of the user beyond the rheostat 39.

In operation at the same time the sound vibrations are imparted to the tympanum and auditory ossicles of the ear through the medium of the rod l1 and head 20, direct electric current will be supplied from the battery 38 to the tympanum and auditory ossicles, modulated by the pulsa- Ions set up in the secondary winding 21 of the transformer. The various capacities 35, 3G and I1 and rheostat 3Q permit of regulating the modulated current to accommodate the sensitivity of the interior of the ear. I

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is: An electric hearing apparatus for the deaf,

20 comprising an ear phone magnet, a diaphragm vibrated by the magnet, a metal rod extending through the center of the diaphragm, means for connecting the rod to the diaphragm to permit the rod to be adjusted axially with relation to the diaphragm, a spherical head on the inner end of the rod adapted to contact with the auditory members of the human ear, a transformer of audio frequency current having two secondaries, a circuit electrically connecting one of the secondaries and the magnet, a circuit electrically connecting the other secondary to the rod, capacities in the last named circuit, and a separate source of electricity connected in the last named circuit, the arrangement being such that sound vibrations and an electric current modulated by the sound vibrations may be simultaneously ap plied through the metal rod and spherical head to the auditory members of the human ear. 

